Couple prepares for their physical transformations.
This article originally appeared on 05.15.15
In this super-cool video from Field Day and Cut Video, a young engaged couple is given a rare opportunity to see how they might look 30, 50, and 70 years in the future. With the help of some seriously talented makeup artists, the couple ages before each other's eyes.
But, it's the deep emotional impact of imagining a life shared together that is far more striking than their physical transformation.
Their love seems to strengthen as they see each other age, and the caring they display for one another is likely to make even the most cynical person a little emotional.
Sixty-one years ago, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to make it into space and probably the first to experience what scientists now call the "overview effect." This change occurs when people see the world from far above and notice that it’s a place where “borders are invisible, where racial, religious and economic strife are nowhere to be seen.”
The overview effect makes man’s squabbles with one another seem incredibly petty and presents the planet as it truly is, one interconnected organism.
In a compelling interview with Big Think, astronaut, author and humanitarian Ron Garan explains how if more of us developed this planetary perspective we could fix much of what ails humanity and the planet.
Garan has spent 178 days in space and traveled more than 71 million miles in 2,842 orbits. From high above, he realized that the planet is a lot more fragile than he thought.
“When I looked out the window of the International Space Station, I saw the paparazzi-like flashes of lightning storms, I saw dancing curtains of auroras that seemed so close it was as if we could reach out and touch them. And I saw the unbelievable thinness of our planet's atmosphere. In that moment, I was hit with the sobering realization that that paper-thin layer keeps every living thing on our planet alive,” Garan said in the video.
“I saw an iridescent biosphere teeming with life,” he continues. “I didn't see the economy. But since our human-made systems treat everything, including the very life-support systems of our planet, as the wholly owned subsidiary of the global economy, it's obvious from the vantage point of space that we're living a lie.”
It was at that moment he realized that humanity needs to reevaluate its priorities.
“We need to move from thinking economy, society, planet to planet, society, economy. That's when we're going to continue our evolutionary process,” he added.
Garan says that we are paying a very “high price” as a civilization for our inability to develop a more planetary perspective and that it’s a big reason why we’re failing to solve many of our problems. Even though our economic activity may improve quality of life on one end, it’s also disasterous for the planet that sustains our lives.
It’s like cutting off our nose to spite our face.
Actor William Shatner had a similar experience to Garan's when he traveled into space.
"It was among the strongest feelings of grief I have ever encountered," Shatner wrote. "The contrast between the vicious coldness of space and the warm nurturing of Earth below filled me with overwhelming sadness. Every day, we are confronted with the knowledge of further destruction of Earth at our hands: the extinction of animal species, of flora and fauna … things that took five billion years to evolve, and suddenly we will never see them again because of the interference of mankind."
“We're not going to have peace on Earth until we recognize the basic fact of the interrelated structure of all reality,” Garan said.
However dire the situation looks from the surface of Earth, the astronaut has hope that we can collectively evolve in consciousness and wake up and embrace a larger reality. “And when we can evolve beyond a two-dimensional us versus them mindset, and embrace the true multi-dimensional reality of the universe that we live in, that's when we're going to no longer be floating in darkness … and it's a future that we would all want to be a part of. That's our true calling.”
Woman can't schedule EEG due to unconscious textured hair bias.
Getting a medical procedure done can be scary, or at the very least nerve-wracking, no matter how many times you've had it done. It's something that's outside of your normal routine and you're essentially at the mercy of the medical facility and providers. Most of the time, the pre-procedure instructions make sense, and if something catches you by surprise, it's usually easily explained.
Sadé Naima recently had an experience while attempting to get an EEG that wasn't easily explained away. In fact, the entire situation didn't make sense to the TikTok creator who experiences migraines. Naima uploaded a video to the social media platform explaining the sequence of events that happened after her doctor referred her to receive an MRI and EEG.
An MRI uses a magnetic field to generate images and an EEG uses electrodes that stick to your scalp to create images of your brain waves.
Since Naima was having consistent migraines, it seemed like a medical necessity to have these tests done to make sure nothing more serious was going on. So imagine the patient's surprise when the pre-procedure paperwork for the EEG mentioned that her hair had to be loose, which at first glance may seem harmless and inclusive of everyone. But, kinky textured hair does not have the same effect as straight hair when it's "loose."
"I received a document saying to prepare for the EEG—I can't have weave, braids, no hair oil, no conditioner, like nothing in your hair," Naima explains. "And how as a Black woman that is so exclusionary for coarse and thick hair. To literally have no product in your hair and show up with it loose, you're not even reaching my scalp with that."
update: someone else from the medical center called me & suggested i show my hair to/talk with the technician so tbd i guess ... It's 2023, this makes no sense that the technology isn't inclusive or that the practioners aren't educated / prepared for diverse experiences. Not too much on the appearance 😂 #migraine #eeg #eegblackhair #blackhair #nyc #neurology #racialbiasinmedicine #racialbias #fyp #foryoupage
When kinky textured hair is "loose" without product, this generally means the hair is in an afro, which makes the scalp extremely difficult to get to without the use of a tool to part it and hold it out of the way. Naima called the facility for clarification and explained that her hair is currently in twists with her scalp exposed. She assured the woman on the other end that she would make sure her hair was clean and free of product, but that it would be easier for everyone involved if her hair remained in twists.
Naima went as far as to send an email with multiple pictures of her hair showing that her scalp was indeed easily accessible with her protective style in place. But the unnamed woman told her that it wasn't possible for the EEG to be completed if Naima's hair was in twists. This prompted the question, "What about people with locs?" to which the person told her they also wouldn't be able to get the procedure.
I sent out an email to the center & their HR and will see where that takes me to start! Thank you everyone! 🧡 i love that this has been able to help & inspire people. #racialbias #medicalracialbias #minitwists #migraine #eegblackhair #eegnaturalhair #neurology #locs #eeg #fyp
The frustrated patient searched the internet looking for the best way to have an EEG with kinky textured hair when she came across information written by a Black doctor who was also trying to find an answer. Currently, there doesn't seem to be much information on how to appropriately give an EEG if the patient has textured hair, though many protective styles provide the direct access to the scalp needed for the procedure.
So, while policies like these aren't meant to be discriminatory, it's clear that they may cause some unintended problems. In the end, Naima's EEG was rescheduled, but after speaking to the technician that completes the procedure, she was assured her hair would not be an issue. Hopefully, the results of her EEG are favorable and she has a much more pleasant experience when preparing for the procedure.
A viral video showing a woman preparing nachos for her "picky" spouse after he refused to eat the salmon dinner she cooked has sparked a contentious debate on TikTok. The video was shared on April 26 by Brianna Greenfield (@themamabrianna on TikTok) and has since earned over 2.5 million views.
Brianna is a mother of two who lives in Iowa.
The video starts with Brianna grating a massive hunk of cheese with a caption that reads: “My husband didn’t eat the dinner that I made…So let’s make him some nachos.”
“If I don’t feed him, he literally won’t eat,” she wrote. “This used to irritate me. Now I just blame his mother for never making him try salmon,” Greenfield wrote. The video features Meghan Trainor’s single “Mother” playing in the background.
At the end of the video, she hands her husband a huge plate of nachos while he lies on the couch under a blanket.
The video received over 11,000 comments on TikTok, primarily people saying that she shouldn’t have made a second meal for her husband and that he appears to be entitled.
Moral of the story: always serve your kids allllll the food, even if they say they dont like it after the first time. 25 years from now your child’s spouse will thank you. 😉 #momsoftiktok #momtok #momlife #workingmom #sahm #marriedlife #marriage #marriagehumor #wifelife #wivesoftiktok #happywifehappylife #pickyeater #pickyhusband #nachosfordinner #wivesoftiktok #cuisinartairfryer #humpday #guesswhatdayitis🐪 #guesswhatdayitis #eattherainbow
"If my husband came home after I cooked dinner and told me he wasn’t eating it to make something else I’d laugh in his face," Rebecca Rose wrote. "This ain't a marriage it's a caretaker internship," Ad Trèz added.
"It got worse with him wrapped in the blanket being served," Lauren Becker wrote. "Ohhh...now I know what people mean when they refer to 'the ick,'" Tara Townsend commented, referencing the moment when people realize that their attraction to someone has turned to repulsion.
However, Brianna believes that people are missing the point of her video. "Moral of the story: always serve your kids allllll the food, even if they say they don't like it after the first time. 25 years from now your child’s spouse will thank you," she captioned the post.
Brianna wasn’t trying to paint her husband as infantile but call attention to the fact that when parents don’t expose their children to different types of food, they can wind up with a relatively unsophisticated palette. She knew he didn't like salmon when she made the dinner for her and her kids, so it wasn't a surprise that he didn't want it.
“If you have parents who don’t really like to try anything new, you will also be exposed to fewer new foods,” Marcia Pelchat, Ph.D. told Self—adding that the reverse is also true. When we have positive experiences with new foods, we are more likely to try unfamiliar tastes in the future.
Even though many took shots at Brianna and her husband, they took it all in stride and aren’t bothered by people who don’t know them.
"Thankfully, my husband and I have an excellent sense of humor and know the truth (that he is a wonderful husband and even better father), so we just think the reaction is genuinely entertaining,” she told Newsweek. “Some of the rude comments are hilariously clever!"
After the first video went viral, she posted another where she serves him macaroni and cheese, while he lays on the couch, under a blanket with numerous electronic devices around him.
An MTA employee rescues a 3-year-old child on the tracks.
Five Metropolitan Transportation Authority employees are hailed as heroes for their quick thinking and diligence in the April 6 rescue of a young boy. Locomotive Engineer William Kennedy was operating a southbound Hudson Line train near Tarrytown, a few miles north of New York City, when he noticed an unusual object on the northbound track.
That “object” was a 3-year-old boy.
Kennedy sent an emergency call out to all trains in the area, catching the attention of a northbound conductor, Shawn Loughran, and a trainee. Loughran slowed down his train as he approached the child, who was straddling the electrified third rail.
When the train screeched to a halt, Assistant Conductor Marcus Higgins didn't waste a second. Leaping down the tracks, he sprinted 40 yards ahead of the train, scooping up the young child like a guardian angel.
"The timing couldn't have been more perfect, you know. If it was a minute later [or] a minute sooner I wouldn't have seen him," Kennedy told Fox 5 New York, adding that if the child would have touched the third rail, he "would have been hurt really bad."
"Physically, he seemed ok, we didn't know at the time that he was autistic, non-verbal,” Higgins told Fox 5. When they got him off the tracks, Higgins says he “had a smile on his face."
Safely cradling the little one, Higgins whisked him on board the train, and the crew set off towards Tarrytown Station. When they arrived, they were greeted by MTAPD officers and Tarrytown EMS, ready to ensure the child's safety.
During the daring rescue, the boy's mother and sister frantically looked for the child. They were spotted by police sobbing on a street corner. The police put two and two together and reunited the boy with his family at the station. The mother told the MTA employees that the boy was autistic and nonverbal.
Five MTA employees were awarded commendations for their daring rescue of the boy.
MTA Metro-North President and Interim Long Island Rail Road President Catherine Rinaldi presents heroism commendations to Metro-North Assistant Conductor Marcus Higgins and Locomotive Engineer William Kennedy at the Railroad Committee meeting at Headquarters on Monday, Apr 24, 2023.
Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA
“These fine team members embodied the qualities we want our employees to exhibit while on duty, alert, responsive, knowledgeable and helpful,” Metro-North Railroad President and Interim LIRR President Catherine Rinaldi said. “With the bravery and calm comportment of superheroes, they averted a horrific outcome and saw to it that this little boy was not going to become a statistic. We salute their efforts and compassion and heartily thank them for their dedication to the people we serve.”
Chris Fraina (left) and Max Chong (right) are signal maintainers who saw the mother crying while on their way to work and, having heard about the found child, approached the mother. Reunion with the child followed at Tarrytown Station.
Photo credit: Rob Cervini/Metro-North Railroad
“Everybody’s quick thinking and the perfect timing allowed us to get this child off the tracks and back to his family,” Kennedy said in a statement. “In the heat of the moment, when you see a child in this situation, your first instinct is to make sure they’re safe,” Assistant Conductor Marcus Higgins said in a statement. “I’m glad our crew was there and able to help.”
“I’m just so happy it all worked out, and everything fell into place,” Locomotive Engineer Shawn Loughran said.
“It’s a great feeling knowing that we were able to help reunite this family,” Signal Maintainer Christopher Fraina said. “In those minutes that must have felt like hours to them, I’m so glad we were in the right place at the right time.”
The exhilaration of a rock concert. The feeling of deep serenity you experience during a religious ceremony. That sense of connectedness you get while walking through a dense forest. The lightness that flows through your body while dancing and the dissolution of the ego you experience on psychedelics. These are all experiences that give us the feeling of awe.
Most of us love having at least a few of these experiences and believe they help us grow. But now, a team of psychologists has explained why cultivating a sense of awe can benefit our minds and bodies and how we can create these experiences ourselves.
Maria Monroy and Dacher Keltner posit that a sense of awe can help solve the crises of individualism, excessive self-focus, loneliness and a culture of cynicism, and can even improve our physical health. They explain it in a research article titled “Awe as a Pathway to Mental and Physical Health.”
According to the researchers, awe engages five process shifts in the body and mind. Awe alters our neurophysiology by releasing oxytocin, also known as “the love hormone,” and elevates vagal tone, which relieves stress.
It also reduces focus on the self, lowering anxiety and aggressiveness while minimizing body image issues. It makes us more prosocial, so we’re more open to cooperation, sacrifice and sharing. Further, awe engenders a feeling of common humanity while elevating a person's sense of meaning.
“Meaning, or sense of purpose, is found in making sense of life events, finding connections between current events and the past, and one’s values and social relationships,” Monroy and Keltner write.
Some argue that one of the greatest obstacles to happiness in the modern world is a crisis in meaning. Maybe a bit more awe is the secret ingredient we all use to be happier?
So how do we get out there and experience the life-changing benefits of awe?
The writers say there are five different ways that people commonly experience awe: nature, spiritual engagement, music, dance, and psychedelics. That could be why people who go to raves in the forest and dance through the night often experience a lasting feeling of transcendence.
The benefits of awe have an additive effect that allows us to transcend our everyday consciousness and embrace the greater parts of ourselves, humanity and the world around us.
“Experiences of awe counter the cynicism of our times as well, sharpening our awareness of the moral beauty of others— the ordinary kindness, courage, and selflessness of our fellow humans, and our capacity for overcoming extraordinary challenges,” Keltner writes in The Guardian.
The researchers' conclusion does a great job of packaging a group of experiences that all solicit similar feelings and then tying them to measurable, practical benefits. They make an excellent case for all of us to have regular experiences of awe—whether singing in church or dancing at 3:00 a.m. at a festival—and to share them with the rest of humanity.
"They're targeting the people who want to look rich—middle and lower class folks who don't have a lot of money or savings. That is the bread and butter of designer brands."
It feels safe to say that we are all hoping to be more mindful about how we spend our money these days, whether it’s to be kinder to the environment, align better with our values, improve our finances or simply exercise free will against the siren call of consumerism.
That’s why this video essay created by Cara Nicole (who gives all kinds of financials and sustainability education on her Youtube channel) feels so timely.
In just under twenty minutes, Nicole astutely breaks down how luxury brands like Hermes, Louis Vuitton and Rolex create the fake illusion of wealth through “manufactured exclusivity” and getting free marketing from celebrities and influencers—who often don’t even pay for the products themselves. Meanwhile, most real rich people wouldn’t be caught dead in the flashy brands, and in reality consider them "overrated." But still, the illusion persists. Because advertising.
And thus, people are trapped in a cycle of buying “cheat codes” in hopes of improving their status. This not only creates a culture of wastefulness—which does our already taxed planet no favors—it also causes folks to lose out on the opportunity to create actual wealth for themselves.
In other words, designer brands will keep you poor.
Nicole did acknowledge that for some, having luxury items brings joy, which holds its own intrinsic value. However, she noted that what is spent on a luxury item could just as easily go into an investment fund, which would pay back more over time, and as a result, allow someone to spend less time working.
Considering the recent uptick of interest in work/life balance, it feels safe to assume that many folks would choose quality time over something material, considering one of these things is virtually a non-renewable resource.
Really, it all comes down to awareness. As Nicole concluded in her video, “Money is time…I think it’s always a good idea to reflect on how we are spending both of them.”
Watch below—every minute is filled with gems. You can follow along on even more finance videos on Nicole's Youtube channel here
